White
by sagiGirl93
Summary: .oneshot. White is the color of innocence and purity. But for Yamanaka Ino, it is the color of death.


Me: Uhh, hi everybody! This is my first story. I wrote this when my dad got in the hospital due to overfatigue. I got bored and blind because of the stupid whiteness of the room so I decided to abuse the laptop. -laughs maniacally-

IS: Unfortunately, I was forced to go with **_her _**to look after him.

Me: **SHUT UP!!** It wasn't that bad! We still got to write our first story! :D

IS: You mean **_MY_** first story!

Me: Let me repeat, SHUT UP!! Anyways, ignore the grumbling figment of my imagination. Enjoy reading. Hope you like it!

IS: Why I oughta -fades into the background-

Me: Don't forget to review! eeeks! -runs away from evil inner holding an axe-

* * *

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Shikamaru as smart as he may be and Ino because they all belong to Masashi Kishimoto the lucky genius!!

* * *

White is the color of innocence and purity. But for Yamanaka Ino, white is the color death.

White-washed walls, white curtains, white covers, white-tiled floors and white ceilings enclose a single room while the sight of white corridors filled with bustling medics in white uniforms greet you every time you step outside a single room. It would appear that everywhere you tilt your head the color never fails to smile back at you, as if mocking you to do something about the overall whiteness of the building.

But Ino has learned to control the irritation she feels every time she enters the building after every mission or just for her monthly checkups. She has learned to control the dissatisfaction bubbling in her stomach every time she wants to visit a sick friend or recuperating comrade. But Ino has never really loathed the color to the point that she would not wear anything that has the same tint as it, that is, until _he_ came in the hospital.

* * *

The whole Rookie Nine just came back from an S-rank mission under the leadership of ANBU captains Hyuuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke. They were heading home when, unfortunately, they were ambushed by none other than the Akatsuki members with the one and only Uchiha Itachi at the lead.

"Little brother, pleasure to see you after such a long time." Itachi sneered.

Haruno Sakura, the ever faithful 'lover' of the Uchiha survivor, reached out to calm the growling Sasuke. Itachi, seeing this action, smiled sadistically.

"What is this, dear brother? A mere girl has come to tame your wild behavior."

"Get out of the way, Itachi." Sasuke managed to say calmly through his gritted teeth.

"Tsk. Leaving so soon? We can't let that happen. You and your brother have so much to catch up on." Kisame, the blue skinned fishlike guy standing next to Itachi, joined in. A chorus of snickers was heard. "Well, unless you give us the Kyuubi vessel, we might just change our minds."

All the Rookie Nine then surrounded Naruto immediately and got into a fighting stance; all determined to keep each of their comrades alive.

"It seems that they would like to play." Deidara, the blond 'artist' behind Kisame said, "Come on then."

In a blink of the eye, everyone engaged in a battle. One Akatsuki member was against two or three Konoha ninjas. It may seem that the good guys are cheating but as they say "all's fair in love and war."

Metal clanged against metal; kunai, shuriken, and senbon needles soaring through the sky. Half an hour has already passed and there is still no sign of stopping. Uchiha Sasuke, being as impatient as he is, asked if there was no way to end this.

"Oi, Nara!"

"What?" Konoha's number one strategist replied, with irritation because the return to his nap at home has been delayed.

"Any ideas to finish this?"

"Give me a second."

"Hn."

The second given to the Nara genius has turned into another 30 minutes. Sakura and Hinata, one of the Byakugan users of the group, can be seen running from one teammate to another, trying to heal as much wounds as they can. It's as if the battle has evolved into an unending war and the bad news is everyone's chakra is depleting fast, especially the chakras of our heroes and heroines.

"Not enough chakra, brother?" Itachi sneered.

"Just enough to kill you." Sasuke said through his ever gritting teeth.

All the shinobis, antagonists and protagonists alike, were panting, sucking in as much oxygen as possible.

Neji, having heard the exchange between his dark-haired co-captain and the brunette genius, decide it was time to end this nonsense.

"Nara, your one second is up." He said

"I've got an idea but it's quite risky." Shikamau said while blocking an attack from Deidara.

"We'll just have to make it work." Neji replied as he backed up against the brunette.

"This is so troublesome. Call the Uchiha."

"Naruto! Where's Sasuke?" Neji managed to yell out to the blond vessel on the other side of the field.

"He's over there! Fighting with his brother!" He shouted over all the noise of the fighting.

"Call him over." Naruto was now beside Neji and Shikamaru, fending off the paper bird bombs of the blond Akatsuki.

"Sasuke-teme!" Naruto screamed.

"I'm busy, dobe!"

"Neji and Shikamaru is looking for you!"

"Damn! A minute!"

"Uchiha! Now!" Neji's patience was definitely thinning and fast.

"It seems that your friends need your help, li'l bro. Go and help them." Itachi mocked.

"So sorry that I have to cut our little sparring session so soon. I was near defeating you. I will be back, don't worry." Sasuke barked back. It would seem that the Uchiha clan has a knack for sarcasm since all of their conversations are, well, sarcastic.

"TEME!"

"What?!" Sasuke arrived at where the other 3 are. They were now back to back against the other, each figting a different Akatsuki member.

"Uchiha, listen up." Shikamaru managed to drawl out in a whisper.

"Nara has an idea to get out of this and get almost everyone to the village. Alive." Neji explained.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the "almost everyone" part of the Hyuuga's explanation but, nonetheless, listened to the pineapple-headed strategist.

"No one gets left behind on this mission, Nara. That's an order." Neji butted in while Shikamaru explained his plan.

"There has to be another way. Believe it!"

"Do you want to get out of this or not?!"

"Hn."

"Uchiha!"

"Just get the kunoichis home. After they've left, we can follow."

"Teme is right. That could work."

"All of us are near chakra depletion. We'll all die if we continue fighting."

"Hn."

"Uchi-"

"Teme! You can't be serious about this!"

"For once, Naruto has a point."

"So it's settled. Naruto, do it now!"

"This is MAD!!"

"Just do it!"

"Multiple Clone Jutsu!"

"Dobe, don't tell anyone about him. Don't slip up."

Once summoned, all the Naruto clones then headed out in different directions, towards his other teammates to warn them of the plan they are to execute.

When everyone got the idea, all the Naruto clones disappeared with a poof. Our heroes then, furtively, created one of their clones which they instructed to go the direction opposite of the country hidden in the leaves. As their copies left the battle field, they hid their chakra as to fool the Akatsuki that they were really leaving.

Behind a large tree, in a little clearing, where they were to meet up with the others, Sakura and Hinata, with the little chakra they had left, struggled to (slightly) heal the major injuries of the others.

"Is everyone here?" Neji asked as he leaned on a tree for support, "Check everyone Sakura."

"Hai."

"Naruto?"

"I'm here! Believe it!"

"Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"Tenten?"

"Hai!"

"Lee?"

"My youthfulness is forever living my lovely, youthful Sakura."

"Shino?"

"Hai."

"Kiba?"

"Ruff!"

"And Akamaru too."

"Ruff, ruff!"

"Ino?"

"I'm alive, forehead!"

"Hmph. Chouji?"

"munch- I'm here –munch"

"Shikama-"

"He's not here."

"Sasuke?"

. . .

While Naruto explained to the rest of the team why Shikamaru is not present with them, on the other side of the world, specifically, where the said person stands, other things are happening. Holding the Akatsuki with his shadow technique, Shikamaru got himself ready to run away from the enemy as fast as he can when he releases his hold on them.

"Lookie here, y'kid." Shikamaru looked to where the voice was coming from. A sluggish sort of person has spoken up. "You are going to die, now. You do know that." Shikamaru couldn't reply because he really believes that his time is up. Though the feeling of fear is bubbling up in his throat, he fought the urge to groan. _'There's no turning back now. Here goes nothing. And everything.' _And with that, the Akatsuki were freed. Shikamaru readied himself for the worst that he knew was coming his way. He faced his enemies, strategy forming in his head and 3 kunais in each of his hand. He stood his stance, face battle ready, a new glint in his eyes, determined to not die without a fight.

And the sound of metal clashing against metal erupted, again, into the once still air.

. . .

"You what?!"

Everyone's faces held shock. Some had also worry sketched into them. But for one certain blond kunoichi, she had both plus another: fury. Ino, at first was silent, very silent which is quite unusual for her.

Everybody had kept their mouths shut after Naruto had explained to them. Thoughts swirled in each of their minds. But their self-keeping was disturbed by an anguished shriek from the one and only Ino. She had marched right up to Sasuke and slapped him, in the face, hard. She looked him in the eye initiating eye contact. Sasuke saw everything in them, the hurt, anger, worry and disbelief written visibly in them. He understood. He sighed and bowed his head.

Sakura walked up to her best friend and guided her to a tree stump to get her nerves to calm down but Ino didn't budge. Instead, she jumped up into a tree and headed to where her loved one is, one thought in mind, _'Shika… If you're not alive, I'm going to beat you to a bloody pulp.'_

"Sakura, follow her and make sure **he** survives. Kiba carry him back here, understood?" Neji said, disrupting the tense silence.

"Hai." And with that, Sakura and Kiba followed their blond companion.

"Shino, make sure that the Akatsuki are nowhere to be found in the premises."

"Hai."

* * *

Ino now sits in one of the single overly white rooms. Ever since they arrived at Konoha, Ino hasn't left Shikamaru's side. She has bandages in almost all of her body but is nothing compared to the dying genius beside her. He received a major concussion. He has a broken right humerus, left tibia and more or less about 7 other major bones in the appendicular skeletal system; he also has acquired half a dozen of broken ribs. The Akatsuki thought it'd be funny if he died a slow painful death so they cut a vital artery in Shikamaru's circulatory system and left him to die.

Ino was about to enter dreamland, after not being able to get sleep for 2 days straight after arriving from the mission, when she heard some shifting of sheets beside her. She immediately raised her head and came face to face with tired, dull, brown eyes.

"Shi-shika?"

"I told… you not to call… me that… right?" He managed a dry chuckle out of his parch lips as he attempted to sit up.

"No, no! Sit back down. You should rest. I'm going to get you something to drink okay?" Ino said as she stood up but before she could head for the door, a hand stopped her. She looked at Shikamaru then at his hand that held hers then back to him. Though with great difficulty, the Nara heir tugged at the blond girl's arm. Ino was surprised when she found herself on top of him. But she was more startled when warm lips met hers in a short chaste kiss. She was about to kiss back when Shikamaru pulled back and lied on his bed, tired having used much energy.

"Shikam-"

"Ino."

"Don't! You are not going to die. You're not." The tears that she fought a while ago were now streaming freely down her pale face. Shikamaru made a move to hug her but Ino beat him to it. She latched herself to him, careful to not put all her weight seeing the situation he is in.

"Shh." He coaxed into her hair. He inhaled her scent; she smelt of vanilla mixed with the smell of lilies. He hoped this wasn't going to end the way he thought it would but, unfortunately for him, though smart as he may have been, he still can't control destiny. "I don't want to see you cry, okay?" Ino nodded her head on his chest.

"Ino?" Said person lifted her head to look into the now almost lifeless eyes of her closest teammate. "I almost have to go."

"N-no. You can't go. I n-need you."

"I love you, Ino."

"I love you too, Shika, so so much." And she hugged him again, this time, tighter, as if she won't let go.

"Don't cry."

"I can't promise you that."

"Trouble… some…"

. . .

_Ino was back to back with her once teammate Akamichi Chouji. They both were helping the other fend off the other enemies when a Naruto bunshin appeared to them. _

"_Hey Ino!"_

"_Waddya want Naruto?!"_

"_I need to tell you something!"_

"_Kinda busy at the moment!"_

"_Really important!"_

"_Help me first, would ya?"_

"_I'm a clone."_

_At this, Ino's mouth formed into an 'o' in realization. She sighed, resigned to listen to the copy of her comrade. She gave a slight nod at the Naruto duplicate._

Everything was still, not even the wind dared to move. His casket was being lowered to the ground. He was encased in a simple white coffin made of a light mineral. Everyone was wearing black, except her.

"_Ino." The replica started in a hushed voice while avoiding being hit by an enemy ninja, "Shikamaru has an idea how we can get out of this mess. All you have to do is- woah!" Naruto (his copy) just jumped up in time to avoid a kunai headed straight for him._

"_That was close. You okay?" Ino called out to the clone._

"_Yeah. I'm fine. Just create a bunshin and head to the clearing south of here. Further instructions will be given there." The Naruto replica managed to breathe out to the blond kunoichi without letting other people hear about it. And with that said, he disappeared with a poof. But before the Naruto double vanished, his should-be happy cerulean eyes held deep anxiety that went unnoticed by the hyperactive girl._

Shikamaru's funeral was agonizingly slow for Ino. She thought it would never end. Now that she's standing at the cemetery three weeks after the incident, she wished the funeral never ended. She was wearing a white casual dress that reached just above her knees. She brought him white lilies to decorate his grave. She stayed for a little more while, after putting the flowers down, reminiscing memories of her dear lover. She was about to turn around when one of the lilies she brought, blown by the wind, got stuck in her ponytail. She smiled. _'I'm not the only one troublesome, Shika-kun.' _Ino then left.

* * *

You see, even if the color white looks as innocent as it does and even if the people speak so wholly of it, it still contains a bit of darkness as like all the colors. But this darkness cannot be seen because its purity is overpowering. And although it has death written all over it, life still comes in to blow it away.

As for Ino, she still haven't learned to loathe the color even if **he** died because she knows that even if the shadow of his death is present, he died because the purity of his love for her illuminates even the darkest threat of death.

…_The End…_


End file.
